Hardline group raids Manji’s book discussion in Yogyakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Archipelago | Wed, May 09 2012, 11:20 PM

Dozen members of Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) has defended its attack on the Canadian activist Irshad Manji’s book discussion at the Institute for Islamic and Social Studies (LKiS) Foundation in Yogyakarta. (Tempo/Suryo Wibowo)

Hundreds of people from the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) attacked participants in a book discussion of Canadian author Irshad Manji’s Allah, Liberty and Love at the LKiS publishing office in Yogyakarta on Wednesday night.

The mob broke down the door to the office and headed to LKiS hall where the discussion was held.

The discussion started at 7 p.m. with the organizer closing the doors and gates for safety reasons, tempo.co reported.

However, 30 minutes later a group from the MMI broke open the gate and door and shouted “LKiS dismissed!”

Participants did not move, with some circling the squatting Irshad to cover her.

The mob vandalized properties of the publisher’s office and tore sheets of Irshad’s books that were displayed for sale.

The MMI said Irshad’s so-called liberty and lesbianism propaganda was blasphemous toward Islam and that her teachings represented covert atheist propaganda.

They also considered all those who facilitated Irshad’s event in Indonesia to be enemies of religion and the state.

“Islam does not teach people to become lesbians,” said individuals in the MMI group.